BENUE’S FOOD BASKET TURNED TO ASHES: FARMERS FACE GUNS, CATTLE, AND DISPLACEMENT

Once Nigeria’s breadbasket, Benue reels from violent herder attacks, leaving millions and farms abandoned.

In Benue’s hardest-hit local governments, armed herdsmen attacks have devastated farming communities, forcing over 1.5 million people into IDP camps. Farmers recount lost livelihoods, scorched fields, and shattered dreams as insecurity replaces pests and drought as the main threat. Despite military interventions and anti-grazing laws, protection remains insufficient. Residents urge urgent government action to restore peace, protect farmers, and secure Nigeria’s food future.